Epidemiological characteristics and nutritional status of convalescents from COVID-19 under home admission in Arroyo Naranjo, Havana,

Abstract

Food has a significant impact on the immune system and this has been
demonstrated in the current COVID- 19 pandemic. The evolution of
patients depends, among other factors, on their nutritional status and the concomitance of other pathologies also associated with the quality of the
diet consumed. The objective of this investigation was to evaluate the
nutritional status of convalescent patients from COVID-19 who were under
home admission. The study included 30 patients from the family doctor’s
office 29, Arroyo Naranjo, Havana. Where applied a brief questioning, the
Malnutrition Detection Tool and the measurement of weight, height and
waist circumference. In the convalescents, arterial hypertension (main comorbidity), sensory disorders and general malaise prevailed as symptoms of the disease. A high incidence of overweight and a direct but weak
relationship between the waist/height ratio and the body mass index were
identified. Only 30% of the patients presented medium risk of malnutrition, however, the persistent symptoms detected, such as nauseas and loss of
appetite, should imply the reinforcement of nutritional surveillance. The existence and/or probability of suffering from chronic non-communicable diseases, persistent symptoms that have limited food intake, and being overweight are factors that could delay post-COVID recovery in the patients studied.